1. Field of the Invention
This invention in general relates to the field of surgical tools, and more particularly concerns a tool that is easily controllable by the surgeon to create a dimensionally proper pocket in the epidural space for the implantation of an epidural electrode, without causing trauma to the tissue of the spinal column contiguous to the epidural space.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electrical stimulation of the spinal cord has proven to be effective in relieving chronic pain. To provide the stimulation, an electrode at or near the end of a lead is introduced into the epidural space. Generally, the lead attached to the electrode is very small and flexible and thus it is difficult to manipulate the electrode into the epidural space unless a pocket to receive the electrode is created within the epidural fat. Up to now, the tool used to create such a pocket has been a stainless steel strip, approximately 12 inches long by 0.2 inches wide, by approximately 0.02 inches thick made of spring steel. It has been found that this instrument has, at times, caused trauma to the dura and surrounding tissue of the spinal cord. Prior to the present invention, it was thought that necessary stiffness of the tool for creating the pocket, when combined with the great sensitivity of the dura and the tissue surrounding the spinal cord made it practically impossible to avoid at least some degree of trauma when forming this pocket, and it was found that occasionally considerable pain resulted from this procedure.